In a rapidly evolving legal landscape where technology and creativity constantly intersect, some legal practitioners stand apart—not just as advisors, but as architects of change. They don’t simply interpret the law; they anticipate its evolution, bridging the gap between traditional legal frameworks and the dynamic needs of modern business. True legal leadership in today’s digital age requires more than expertise—it demands vision, ada
ptability, and an unwavering commitment to protecting innovation while enabling growth. It requires a deep understanding of how intellectual property, media rights, and digital assets have become the currency of modern business success.
Manushi K Shah has carved out this distinctive position in India’s legal ecosystem. As Partner at LA MINTAGE LEGAL LLP, she embodies the intersection of intellectual property mastery, digital law expertise, and business acumen—guiding clients through the complex terrain where creativity meets commerce, and where innovation demands protection. From financial services to founding her own legal ventures, her journey reflects a commitment to transforming how legal services are delivered and justice is accessed in a digital world.
From Financial Services to Legal Innovation Champion
With over five years of experience across multiple legal domains, Manushi’s path to legal prominence began in the financial services sector—an early experience that proved foundational to her approach to law. This background equipped her with a sharp understanding of commercial dynamics, risk management, and strategic decision-making that continues to inform her practice today.
“Working in finance gave me first-hand insight into how businesses operate, the critical importance of protecting assets—both tangible and intangible—and the financial impact of legal decisions,” Manushi explains. This experience shaped her ability to view legal challenges not merely through a legal lens, but through a business strategy perspective.
Her journey evolved naturally into complex legal areas including corporate law, intellectual property, and cyberlaw. What sets Manushi apart is her passion for protecting creative, digital, and corporate interests in an increasingly interconnected world. “I’m driven by helping creators, brands, startups, and established businesses safeguard their content, innovations, and reputation in today’s fast-paced industries,” she notes.
This dedication led to the founding of LA MINTAGE LEGAL LLP in 2023, a firm specializing in intellectual property rights, corporate law, and cyberlaw with offices in Hyderabad and Delhi. The firm’s name itself reflects its focus—”mintage” suggesting the creation of something valuable and authentic, much like the intellectual property assets she helps clients protect.
Dispute Resolution Reimagined
Perhaps one of Manushi’s most significant contributions to India’s legal landscape has been co-founding the Dispute Resolution Hub (DRH), which she describes as one of the most rewarding projects of her career.
“Through DRH, we’ve pioneered efficient, transparent, and technology-driven dispute resolution services in India,” she shares. The venture represents her commitment to transforming how justice is accessed and delivered. “Designing a proprietary case management system that ensures real-time updates and transparency for clients was deeply satisfying because it bridged the gap between traditional legal processes and modern client needs.”
This innovation in dispute resolution—particularly in online dispute resolution (ODR)—reflects Manushi’s broader vision for the legal profession: one where technology enhances rather than replaces the human elements of legal service, where efficiency doesn’t come at the cost of justice, and where traditional adversarial approaches give way to more collaborative resolution methods.
Navigating the Shifting Landscapes of IP and Cyber Law
The legal domains where Manushi specializes—intellectual property rights and cyber law—have undergone seismic shifts in recent years. She observes that technological innovation, digital globalization, and regulatory evolution have dramatically transformed both fields.
“The explosion of digital platforms, e-commerce, fintech, social media, and now AI technologies has forced legal systems to evolve rapidly,” Manushi notes. The challenges have multiplied: data breaches, cybercrimes, identity theft, digital defamation, and online harassment have become commonplace, requiring lawyers to understand both technical and legal dimensions of digital incidents.
In intellectual property, the changes have been equally profound. “Content is created and consumed faster than ever, leading to a spike in copyright infringements, trademark disputes, and brand impersonations online,” she explains. With brands, music, films, art, and even memes crossing borders instantly, jurisdictional and enforcement challenges have multiplied. New IP categories like NFTs, digital art, and AI-generated content have emerged, requiring fresh protection approaches.
Manushi’s practice through LA MINTAGE LEGAL LLP reflects a strategic shift toward preventive strategies rather than purely reactive litigation. Her approach focuses on pre-emptive registration, smart contract drafting, and IP audits—positioning her clients to protect their assets before problems arise.
The Art of Balance: From Startups to Corporations
One of the most impressive aspects of Manushi’s practice is her ability to serve both nimble startups and established corporations across diverse legal fields—adapting her approach while maintaining excellence.
“With startups, I focus on being strategic yet agile,” she explains. “These clients need cost-effective, fast, and growth-aligned legal solutions.” Her approach involves offering practical, scalable legal advice that grows with the business, prioritizing risk mitigation without overcomplicating structures that could slow down innovation. She becomes almost like a legal partner, helping entrepreneurs make smart choices that protect them without overwhelming them with legal complexities.
For larger corporations, Manushi pivots to structured, compliance-heavy, and stakeholder-driven solutions. “These clients demand robust documentation, regulatory compliance, detailed due diligence, and risk-averse strategies to protect their reputation, market share, and global interests,” she notes. Here, she applies her expertise to navigate complex regulatory environments, manage large-scale IP portfolios, and handle multi-party disputes with thoroughness and precision.
This versatility has made Manushi a sought-after advisor across India’s business spectrum—from creative startups to multinational corporations—all seeking her guidance in navigating today’s complex legal challenges.
Demystifying IP Protection: Beyond the Misconceptions
Part of Manushi’s value to clients lies in her ability to cut through common misconceptions about intellectual property protection. She frequently encounters and corrects several myths that could leave clients vulnerable.
“Many believe that just creating content, a brand, or an invention gives them automatic, enforceable rights globally,” Manushi points out. She clarifies that registration is critical—especially for trademarks, patents, and designs—and that IP rights are territorial, meaning protection in India doesn’t automatically extend abroad.
Another common misconception is that a copyright or trademark registration alone is enough to stop infringements. “Without vigilance and swift action, like sending cease-and-desist notices or filing suits, IP protection can weaken,” she explains, encouraging clients to set up IP watch services and proactive enforcement plans.
Manushi’s approach to addressing these misconceptions is multifaceted: early client education, practical examples using real-world case studies, customized strategies tailored to each client’s business model, and proactive updates through regular reviews and audits. Her focus isn’t just legal protection—it’s empowering clients to see IP as a business asset, not just a compliance checkbox.
Entertainment Industry: Navigating Complex Creative Waters
In the entertainment sector, Manushi’s expertise addresses the unique challenges faced by artists and production houses in an increasingly digital landscape.
“A recurring challenge is clearly establishing ownership,” she explains. “Artists may assume they automatically own rights over their work, but contracts often assign rights to producers or distributors.” Production houses must ensure they have full, clean chain-of-title rights for distribution, adaptations, merchandising, and international licensing.
Contractual ambiguities and talent agreements present another challenge, particularly in an era where exploitation avenues like streaming, OTT platforms, podcasts, and NFTs are constantly evolving. “A vague or outdated contract can lead to massive future disputes over earnings, credits, or creative control,” Manushi warns, emphasizing the importance of meticulous drafting that covers scope of work, compensation models, royalties, duration, termination rights, and moral rights clauses.
Her approach to contract negotiations in the entertainment sector is comprehensive and forward-looking. She ensures clear definition of scope and deliverables, detailed rights and ownership clauses, transparent compensation and royalty structures, well-defined termination and exit options, and protection for moral rights and creative control.
“Before any content is published or distributed, we lead a thorough audit of ownership—scripts, music, artwork, performances, stock footage—everything,” she explains. This comprehensive rights clearance process is essential in preventing future disputes and protecting clients from potential liability.
Digital Transformation: New Frontiers in Media Law
The rise of digital platforms and social media has dramatically reshaped media and entertainment law, creating new legal considerations that Manushi helps clients navigate.
“With the explosion of user-generated content, collaborations, remixes, and co-productions, ownership of IP rights has become murkier,” she observes. This demands tighter digital content licenses, clear rights management, and well-drafted collaboration agreements.
Content theft, unauthorized use, and brand impersonations have proliferated online, requiring robust monitoring systems and fast enforcement mechanisms. Cross-border enforcement challenges have become more common, as infringers can operate globally with minimal infrastructure.
Perhaps most critically, the risks of defamation, privacy violations, and unauthorized use of likeness have multiplied in an environment where content travels instantly and virally. Manushi stresses the importance of pre-publication legal reviews, robust content vetting, and strong release forms to mitigate these risks.
To address content ownership challenges in this rapidly changing environment, she implements clear contractual frameworks from the start, rigorous chain-of-title verification, tailored licensing strategies, active monitoring of digital use and infringements, and comprehensive management of user-generated and platform-based content.
Staying Current in a Fast-Evolving Field
Maintaining cutting-edge expertise in intellectual property, media law, and cyber law requires constant vigilance and learning—a challenge Manushi embraces wholeheartedly.
“I regularly upgrade my legal knowledge through specialized certifications and diplomas,” she explains. Her pursuit of a Diploma in Media and Entertainment Law exemplifies this commitment to staying ahead of emerging intersections between creative industries and IP rights.
She actively engages with professional networks, arbitration forums, and legal advisory boards—including her role on the Board of Advisors at Le Confluence and GYANAUKA. These platforms expose her to cross-disciplinary insights and early discussions about regulatory trends and best practices.
Manushi also leverages legal tech tools that provide real-time alerts on IP law changes, infringement trends, and enforcement news. This ensures she doesn’t just react to changes—she prepares for them in advance, positioning her clients advantageously.
Strategic IP Counsel: Beyond Legal Compliance
When advising clients on IP strategy, Manushi looks beyond mere legal compliance to create business value. “Before anything else, I dig deep into what the client is actually creating, offering, and building value around,” she says. This understanding allows her to tailor the IP strategy to what needs protection, how critical it is to the client’s competitive advantage, and how IP integrates with their revenue and growth plans.
Timing and prioritization are equally critical. “I advise clients to think about IP protection early—even before products launch or branding goes public,” Manushi explains. She helps clients determine which IP to register first, which markets to target based on expansion plans, and how to phase filings cost-effectively.
In today’s interconnected world, global considerations are paramount. Manushi stresses the importance of filing trademarks in key jurisdictions, understanding regional variations in IP laws, and preparing for cross-border enforcement and disputes. “Think global from day one if your brand or product will cross borders,” she advises.
Finally, she insists on active monitoring systems to detect infringements early, coupled with clear enforcement action plans. “A dormant IP right is vulnerable,” Manushi notes. “Defense is as important as registration.”
Future Vision: A Tech-Enabled Legal Landscape
Looking ahead, Manushi continues to champion the integration of technology and law, particularly in dispute resolution and IP protection. Her work with the Dispute Resolution Hub represents her vision for a more accessible, efficient, and transparent legal system in India.
Through LA MINTAGE LEGAL LLP, she remains committed to helping creators, innovators, and businesses navigate the complex intersection of intellectual property, digital transformation, and global commerce. Her practice continues to evolve alongside the rapidly changing legal landscape, always with an eye toward protecting her clients’ most valuable assets while enabling their growth and success.
In a legal world where change is the only constant, Manushi K Shah stands as a beacon of innovation, expertise, and client-centered service—truly embodying India’s influential legal powerhouse navigating innovation, media, and justice with purpose and precision.
Key Insights for Legal Innovation
For legal professionals and businesses navigating today’s complex IP and digital landscape, Manushi offers several guiding principles:
- “Protection before production—secure your IP rights before going public with innovations or creative works.”
- “In the digital world, monitoring and enforcement are as critical as registration.”
- “Clear contracts prevent costly disputes—especially in creative industries where collaboration is common.”
- “Think global from day one—territorial IP strategies no longer suffice in a borderless digital economy.”
- “Technology should enhance justice, not complicate it—embrace legal tech that brings transparency and efficiency.”
