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Darani Vachanavuttivong

Managing Partner and Managing Director, Intellectual Property

Biography

Darani Vachanavuttivong is a formidable enforcer of intellectual property rights (IPR), including trademarks, copyrights, and patents. Regarded as “a brilliant, hands-on lawyer who works extremely hard for her clients” (WTR 1000), Darani is currently recognized as a top IP practitioner by such publications as Asialaw Leading Lawyers (since 2003), The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (since 2003), and Chambers Asia-Pacific (since 2008). She has been named as one of the most accomplished female IP practitioners in the world by Managing Intellectual Property magazine, which includes Darani in its list of the “Top 250 Women in IP.”

Darani helps clients protect IPR in some of the toughest jurisdictions in the world—Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. Darani previously headed the firm’s trademark registration group and is well-versed in writing patents, having represented numerous patent clients and having attended several high-level courses on drafting patent specifications, including the South East Asian Patent Drafting Training Course and the Patent Agent Training Course organized by the Department of Intellectual Property, Bangkok.

A leading IP attorney and a leader in the IP field, Darani is the managing director of the Tilleke & Gibbins intellectual property group, which is consistently recognized as the preeminent IP practice in Southeast Asia. Darani, who is a licensed to practice law in Thailand, is actively engaged in the global intellectual property community. She recently served as president of the ASEAN Intellectual Property Association (AIPA) and chair of the Asia-Pacific Sub-Committee of INTA’s Global Advisory Council. She has also served terms as president and vice president of the Thailand group of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association; and as president of the Intellectual Property Association of Thailand.

Darani, who is a member of the Lawyers Council of Thailand and is a qualified patent agent, takes a realistic, no-nonsense approach to protecting intellectual property in Southeast Asia, and notes that, “protecting IPR should be viewed as an investment in the product and the company’s good name and as a critical line-item in any originator’s budget.”

Experience

  • Acted on behalf of our client before the IP&IT Court and obtained a very favorable settlement just prior to the rendering of judgment in what has been widely regarded as the largest and most complex patent infringement case in Thai history. In this multijurisdictional case, our team not only secured a rare Anton Piller order to seize infringing goods, which enabled us to successfully prove infringement, but also formulated extensive strategies for protecting the validity of our client’s patent.
  • Defended a leading Thai manufacturer of wood protection materials against an allegation of trademark infringement (claims totaled USD 1 million).
  • Interviewed inventors and concerned parties to collect information for drafting patent and petty patent specifications. Determined novelty and inventive step through patent searches.
  • Drafted a patent specification for a client in the electronic-money industry.
  • Represented a leading producer of smartphones as its “point of contact” with all government authorities, which involved crafting an overall government relations strategy, establishing and cultivating relationships with officials, responding to government investigations, monitoring potential policy and regulatory developments, and seeking legislative and regulatory change on our client’s behalf. We have also structured appropriate and effective solutions to the business and legal challenges faced by our client.
  • Responded in a timely and effective manner to news that a variation of our client’s trade name and trademark would be used in a major concert and festival sponsored by parties in both the private and public sectors. With only two weeks’ notice, we immediately commenced negotiations at all levels with the appropriate government agencies and the organizer. Our prompt and diligent actions were effective. Prior to the event, the hosts changed the name and mark of the event, and all advertisements were removed and corrected.
  • Represented a food manufacturer in carrying out an international raid in Laos against trademark violations by local retailers, and coordinated with local authorities to carry out the raid, seize all counterfeit products, and destroy them.
  • Provided strategic planning advice on the holding and assignment of trademark owners for trademarks registered worldwide.
ABOUT Darani

Industries

Life Sciences

Practices

Intellectual Property

Regulatory Affairs

Locations

Languages

    Thai

    English

Education

    LLB, Ramkhamhaeng University

    MSc, Thammasat University

    BBA, Thammasat University

Insights

August 20, 2026
As part of its membership in Lex Mundi, Tilleke & Gibbins has released the latest edition of its Guide to Doing Business in Thailand, providing an overview of the legal, regulatory, and commercial considerations for companies establishing or expanding operations in Thailand. The 2026 edition offers practical insight into the country’s business environment, investment framework, and operational requirements. The guide covers a wide range of topics relevant to foreign and domestic investors, including: Investment incentives and promotion schemes Financial facilities and banking regulations Exchange controls and money transfers Import and export regulations Business structures and incorporation options Requirements for establishing a business Operational and compliance considerations Business cessation and insolvency procedures Employment and labor laws Taxation Immigration and visa requirements Prepared by Tilleke & Gibbins lawyers across multiple practice areas, the publication outlines key aspects of doing business in Thailand, including foreign investment restrictions, regulatory compliance obligations, corporate structures, employment requirements, and recent legal and economic developments affecting investors. The publication forms part of Lex Mundi’s Country Guides series, a global collection of jurisdiction-specific reference materials prepared by member firms around the world. Together, these guides help companies evaluate opportunities, compare regulatory environments, and plan international business activities across multiple markets. The full Guide to Doing Business in Thailand 2026 is available through the button below.
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December 9, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins is proud to announce that four litigation cases handled by the firm have been selected among the nine Distinguished Judgment Awards granted by Thailand’s Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court (IP&IT Court) for the period from October 1, 2024, to August 31, 2025. This recognition highlights the complexity, novelty, and legal significance of these cases, which were chosen based on stringent criteria including new legal issues, high evidentiary volume, and intricate legal arguments. Among these four cases, one was singled out as the “Most Distinguished Judgment” – the landmark trademark squatting case involving the trademark rights of our client, Thailand’s largest state-owned energy conglomerate, and its subsidiary. In this case, the defendants had filed 52 trademark applications mimicking our client’s marks, making it the largest trademark squatting dispute in Thai history. On April 30, 2025, the IP&IT Court ordered the cancellation of multiple infringing trademarks, setting a benchmark for IP enforcement against trademark squatters in Thailand. The other three recognized cases demonstrate Tilleke & Gibbins’ breadth of expertise in IP litigation: Patent infringement and invalidation involving trade secrets misappropriation. Trade dress infringement of a unique packaging. Landmark Luckin Coffee case involving trademark infringement and invalidation. The IP&IT Court handles approximately 200 IP civil litigation cases each year, and our IP litigation team has typically been involved in 25–30% of them, reflecting our dominant role in shaping IP jurisprudence in Thailand.
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November 21, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins has contributed the Thailand chapter to Asia IP’s ASEAN Guide to IP Protection 2025, an annual reference covering key developments and practical considerations for intellectual property systems across Southeast Asia. The chapter offers an overview of Thailand’s current legal framework for the protection of trademarks, patents, industrial designs, and copyrights. It summarizes registration requirements, recent regulatory updates, and procedural considerations relevant to rights holders and practitioners. The chapter offers actionable insights for rights holders at every stage of the IP lifecycle and addresses practical strategies for managing portfolios, anticipating enforcement challenges, and maximizing the value of IP assets. The authors also highlight recent trends and developments in Thai IP law, ensuring that readers are equipped with the latest knowledge to inform their decisions. The complete Thailand chapter can be downloaded through the button below, and the chapter is also available on the Asia IP website.
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Awards & Rankings

September 30, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has been named a finalist in two categories at the IFLR and International Tax Review (ITR) Asia-Pacific Awards 2026. The firm is shortlisted for Thailand National Firm of the Year at the IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards, which recognize innovative cross-border transactions and the firms, teams, and transactions shaping the region’s legal and financial landscape. Tilleke & Gibbins is also shortlisted for Thailand Tax Firm of the Year at the ITR Asia-Pacific Tax Awards. The awards recognize leading firms and practitioners across the region for their work in direct tax, indirect tax, tax disputes, and transfer pricing. The winners will be announced at a joint awards ceremony on November 12, 2026, at the Ritz-Carlton in Hong Kong. For more information, please see the full shortlists for the IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2026 and the ITR Asia-Pacific Awards 2026.
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September 23, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has received eight nominations for the Managing IP Asia-Pacific Awards 2026, recognizing the strength of the firm’s intellectual property practice across Southeast Asia. The firm has been shortlisted in the following categories: Asia-Pacific Firm of the Year (Domestic) Cambodia Firm of the Year Indonesia Firm of the Year Thailand Patent Firm of the Year Thailand Trademark Firm of the Year Vietnam Patent Firm of the Year Vietnam Trademark Firm of the Year In addition, Darani Vachanavuttivong, managing partner and managing director of the firm’s intellectual property practice, has been shortlisted for Asia-Pacific Practitioner of the Year (General Law Firms). The eight nominations reflect the continued recognition of Tilleke & Gibbins’ regional capabilities in intellectual property protection, commercialization, and enforcement. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on November 5, 2026. For more information, please see the full Managing IP Asia-Pacific Awards 2026 shortlist.
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September 23, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has received 14 nominations for the Asialaw Awards 2026. The nominations span jurisdiction-level, practice-area, and individual categories across the region. At the jurisdiction level, Tilleke & Gibbins has been shortlisted in three categories: Cambodia Firm of the Year Laos Firm of the Year Thailand Firm of the Year The firm has also been shortlisted for four regional practice awards: Aviation and Shipping Firm of the Year Corporate and M&A Firm of the Year Dispute Resolution Firm of the Year Technology and Telecommunications Firm of the Year Seven individual nominations recognize lawyers from the firm’s offices in Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam: Prisna Sungwanna, Laos Female Lawyer of the Year Pimvimol Vipamaneerut, Thailand Female Lawyer of the Year Tram Ngoc Bich Nguyen, Vietnam Female Lawyer of the Year John Frangos, Aviation and Shipping Lawyer of the Year, Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year Pongpalin Chantrapirom, Dispute Resolution Rising Star of the Year Chusert Supasitthumrong, Labour and Employment Lawyer of the Year The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on November 5, 2026. For more information on the Asialaw Awards 2025 and to browse a full list of the nominees, please visit the Asialaw website.
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July 27, 2026
Darani Vachanavuttivong, managing partner and managing director of the firm’s intellectual property (IP) practice, has been recognized in the ALB Asia Top Female Lawyers 2026 list published by Asian Legal Business (ALB). The annual list honors 20 outstanding female lawyers from across Asia who have demonstrated exceptional legal expertise, leadership, and impact in their respective fields. Notably, Darani is the only lawyer from Thailand included in this year’s ranking. This marks Darani Vachanavuttivong’s fourth appearance on ALB’s prestigious list. Her continued inclusion reflects her longstanding contributions to the legal profession, leadership within the intellectual property field, and the strong reputation she has earned among clients and peers throughout the region. Widely recognized as one of Southeast Asia’s leading intellectual property practitioners, Darani has played a key role in shaping and strengthening IP protection and enforcement strategies for clients across a broad range of industries. According to ALB, the ranking celebrates women who are helping shape the future of the legal profession through excellence in practice, leadership, innovation, and meaningful contributions to their communities. The selection process considers factors including professional achievements, significant matters handled, client feedback, market reputation, and broader contributions to the legal industry. For more information on the ALB Asia Top Female Lawyers 2026 list, please see the July 2026 issue of ALB.
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