Our Legal Team

Franck Soutoul is a recognised IP practitioner, with nearly 40 years of experience in protecting trademarks, designs and models, and domain names. Since the beginning of his career in 1987, he has developed a global advisory approach, working well beyond European and African borders. He masters global portfolio management, the development of prior art search strategies, and the handling of complex matters. He excels in designing availability search strategies and managing global portfolios, offering innovative, tailor-made legal solutions to companies of all sizes. Under his leadership, INLEX has established itself as a reference firm, recognised for the quality, pragmatism, and strategic reach of its services.

An experienced IP practitioner, Jérémy Giacopazzi has in-depth expertise in trademark filing and prosecution, strategic portfolio management, and the defence of IP rights. Active in Europe since 2010 and in Africa since 2014, he works closely with Franck Soutoul to develop bespoke legal strategies. He supports international clients across a variety of sectors (luxury, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agri-food) and is recognised for his rigour, innovative approach, and strategic mindset.

Igor is a senior IP lawyer with 10 years of experience, specialising in managing complex portfolios and providing strategic legal solutions. His thorough knowledge of IP protection and enforcement mechanisms enables him to secure and enhance companies’ intangible assets effectively. He also has significant experience in the pharmaceutical sector, handling trademark matters with a fine understanding of the challenges specific to the industry. In addition, Igor regularly drafts a significant number of oppositions, both offensive and defensive — an area central to his professional expertise.

Lou is an IP jurist working mainly on strategic protection, registration, and defence of trademarks and designs and models. With six years of experience gained both in-house and in private practice, she combines a pragmatic, rigorous approach with a deep understanding of the challenges businesses face in protecting their intangible assets. She also masters administrative procedures, ensuring smooth and secure management of clients’ IP rights. Lou supports companies in building, strengthening, and securing their rights in both national and international markets.

Mohamed Cissé has served as Administrative and Finance Manager at INLEX in Paris since 2015. He oversees all financial and administrative operations of the INLEX Group. He ensures compliance with applicable accounting standards and manages both French and Anglo-Saxon accounting practices, while actively supporting coordination between the group’s different offices. With a solid finance background and a rigorous approach, Mohamed plays a key role in the group’s financial security and administrative efficiency.

Tiphaine is an experienced accountant responsible for the accounting management of the Paris and Monaco offices. With 15 years of experience, she covers daily operations: invoice processing, payment follow-up, and bank reconciliations. Appreciated for her rigour and proactive approach, Tiphaine has strong command of accounting tools and solid organisational skills.

Holding two LLB degrees obtained in London and Mauritius, complemented by a LLM, Krishna Mungur combines academic excellence with a refined, practical understanding of intellectual property law. His background in legal advisory and client support allows him to adopt an approach that is both strategic and nuanced, where legal expertise closely aligns with business challenges. A recognised specialist in trademark protection and brand assets, he is relied upon to provide clear, commercially oriented and operational guidance, helping companies protect and develop their most valuable intangible assets.

Kush is a Barrister-at-Law and an IP lawyer at INLEX’s Mauritius office. Recognised for his high-precision expertise in high-stakes matters, he regularly works on the protection and defence of IP rights, both in litigation and in strategic advisory. His approach is rooted in an absolute commitment to excellence, rigour, and strategic foresight. He also has strong experience drafting complex agreements, such as licensing, assignment, and distribution agreements. He was called to the Bar of England & Wales in 2022 and to the Bar of Mauritius in 2023, and is a member of the Bar Association of Mauritius as well as the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple.

With extensive experience across Africa, Ayé is an IP law practitioner on the African continent and an OAPI-accredited counsel. A graduate of French universities, he holds training in research and innovation law, as well as in law and marketing. Since 2015, Ayé has supported companies worldwide, providing high-level expertise in OAPI procedures, particularly in prior art searches, legal consultations, and opposition strategies. His mastery of the OAPI legal framework makes him a key advisor for clients seeking comprehensive and effective IP protection across the African continent.

Pravir has more than 15 years of experience in IP prosecution and litigation. As a senior lawyer at INLEX, he specialises in trademark law and IP enforcement for international brands, particularly across Europe and Africa. Trained as a lawyer in Switzerland, Pravir offers a pragmatic, in-depth understanding of contentious procedures, customs matters, and contractual issues. His strong litigation skills, combined with strategic insight, enable businesses to face complex IP situations with confidence.

With a background in finance, corporate law, and business process outsourcing, Hachim adopts a resolutely commercial approach in handling legal matters. He has deep practical experience in intellectual property and stands out for his ability to manage IP projects transversally, beyond file-by-file handling. His strategic support, aligned with business objectives, ensures effective and sustainable assistance to companies.

With nearly 10 years of experience in Intellectual Property, Teeneesah has developed substantial expertise in trademark portfolio management and international IP matters. Her experience covers the management and protection of trademark portfolios across multiple jurisdictions, including filings, renewals, searches and prosecution. She has extensive experience supporting international clients and managing global trademark portfolios, with a strong understanding of the practical requirements involved in coordinating rights across different markets. Teeneesah brings a structured, responsive and commercially minded approach to the legal coordination and day-to-day management of complex trademark portfolios.

Haadya supports a broad portfolio of clients, particularly Asian clients, in protecting and maintaining their trademarks worldwide. With two years of experience at INLEX, she works across the entire trademark lifecycle: filings, prosecution, and renewals. Recognised for her organisational skills and the precision of her prior art searches, she also contributes to the development of strategic legal opinions.

Toshika is a paralegal specialising in trademark and patent filings, portfolio management, and legal support in intellectual property matters. Particularly attentive to precision and deadlines, she excels in preparing and filing matters, managing deadlines, and supporting lawyers in protecting IP assets. Driven by a genuine passion for innovation, she ensures the rigour and efficiency of legal processes.

Karen Crouche is an IP Paralegal at INLEX. She assists clients with the day-to-day administration of intellectual property portfolios, coordinating filings and renewals, managing formalities and deadlines, and liaising with attorneys and local correspondents to ensure matters progress smoothly and efficiently.

Holding a Master’s degree in finance and accounting, Mihamina plays a key role in optimising accounting operations. Her expertise is built on high standards of rigour, responsiveness, and strategic foresight, ensuring compliance, reliability, and performance of the firm’s accounting activities.

Aminou Ndala is a recognised IP specialist and the founder of the partner structure NAT AFRICA IP. Since 2015, he has placed his expertise at the service of INLEX, notably in interpreting and applying the Bangui Agreements, and positions himself as an expert. Based in Cameroon, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics and management (University of Buea) and a Master’s degree in intellectual property awarded by Africa University in partnership with WIPO. His expertise covers IP rights management, rights defence, and conflict resolution, making him a key player in the African legal landscape.

Holding a Master's degree in business law and intellectual property from the University of Douala, Marguerite specialises in complex legal advisory and IP portfolio management. Since joining INLEX, she has stood out for her expertise in structuring and protecting her clients' legal interests, providing strategic, rigorous support that is perfectly adapted to their needs.

Nyang Loveline is an IP Paralegal at INLEX MEA, working within a team dedicated to protecting and managing IP assets across Europe and Africa. She supports portfolio management through careful coordination of procedures and documentation, deadline monitoring, and proactive client communication, helping ensure clear follow-up and consistent service across multiple jurisdictions.