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Saba Al-Sultani

Saba Al-Sultani

Partner
About

Saba leads the firm’s MENA Trade Marks practice, and specialises in trade mark and design matters across in the Middle East and North Africa region, managing worldwide IP portfolios and handling disputes for both regional and international clients (including many of the biggest and most well-known brands in the world). Her clients span numerous sectors including consumer goods and retail, life sciences, aviation, energy and natural resources, education and hospitality.

Saba has extensive experience in both contentious and non-contentious matters, such as acting for clients in opposition and cancellation actions, advising clients on infringement and enforcement matters, filing and prosecuting local, region-wide (MENA) and overseas trade mark applications, conducting clearance searches and devising trade mark filing strategies.

Saba also advises on copyright and domain name issues including through Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) actions and is bilingual in Arabic and English.

Areas of FocusIntellectual Property

EXPERIENCE

  • Managing all prosecution aspects of the region-wide trade mark portfolio of a world famous global consumer electronics brand, as well as advising on trade mark infringement matters, including on civil proceedings, criminal actions and administrative complaints before the relevant local authorities. 
  • Providing trade mark, copyright and design prosecution, infringement and enforcement advice, as well as handling regional prosecution work and enforcement actions for a global luxury goods brand.
  • Management and handling of local and regional trade mark disputes for one of the largest and most famous social media platforms globally.
  • Management and handling of local and regional trade mark disputes for one of the largest and most famous content platform and production companies globally.
  • Managing all prosecution and enforcement aspects of the region-wide (Middle East, Turkey and Africa) trade mark and design portfolio of a global manufacturer of food, confectionery and pet food.
  • Advising on local and regional trade mark, design and copyright disputes (including providing infringement and enforcement advice as well as acting for the client in trade mark opposition and cancellation actions) and licensing matters for a global luxury goods brand.
  • Advising a well-known US chain of over 200 restaurants on entry to the MENA region in view of a multi-jurisdictional dispute due to earlier conflicting third party trade marks and successfully negotiating and drafting a worldwide co-existence agreement.
  • Advising a well-known US food retailer in relation to a GGC-wide conflict involving numerous cross oppositions and cancellations and successfully negotiating settlement.
  • Advising a global energy company in relation to a domain name dispute in Saudi Arabia and successfully negotiating the assignment of the domain name to the client.
  • Managing all aspects of the re-branding and worldwide trade mark filing programme for a UAE-based international market and free zone, including pre-filing clearance searching and advice.
Languages
  • Arabic
  • English
Education
  • Queen Mary University of London, Masters in Intellectual Property Law
  • Queen Mary University of London, Bachelors in Genetics

Awards

  • Trade Mark Star 2023 – IP Stars, Managing Intellectual Property
  • Trade Mark Star 2022 – IP Stars, Managing Intellectual Property
  • “(Saba) assiduously enhances the brands of national and global heavyweights through well-thought-out, future-proofed strategies” – World Trade Mark Review, WTR 1000, 2022
  • “Projects an air of calm reassurance and has an ability to swiftly solve complex problems. Diligent and commercially oriented, she manages to find a clear way forward and truly is a cut above the competition” – World Trade Mark Review, WTR 1000, 2021
  • "Her insight and attentiveness along with her knowledge of local laws adds significant value to the service we can provide. She is calm and measured in her guidance, which provides a great deal of reassurance in high-pressure situations." – World Trade Mark Review, WTR 1000, 2020

Professional Qualifications

  • Registered UK Trade Mark and Design Attorney

Memberships And Affiliations

  • INTA, CITMA

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