Bala knew from a very young age that her choice of career would be related to science because she excelled in her biology and chemistry coursework. With a strong passion for genetics and the desire to find a cure for her mom who was diagnosed with diabetes at an early age, Bala obtained a Bachelor of Technology in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. Having worked as a scientific researcher during her undergraduate studies, Bala greatly values attention to detail and is a meticulous person. She then pursued a Master’s in Entrepreneurial Biotechnology to gain knowledge about business and start-ups. This landed her a position with Cleveland Clinic Innovations where she evaluated over a hundred innovations and negotiated deals with potential investors. In this role, Bala had the opportunity to interact with business and healthcare lawyers from multiple healthcare organizations and quickly realized that her real calling in life was to be a healthcare attorney.

Subsequently Bala obtained her J.D. and was able to pursue a career that combined all her interests – science, business, and law. She has a unique background in healthcare law because of her extensive experience with intellectual property law. Bala is a registered patent attorney, eligible to represent patent and trademark applicants before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). She has extensive experience counseling and assisting clients with trademark applications and prosecution processes, specifically trademark clearance searches, filing trademark applications and responding to office actions. Bala also focuses on understanding and resolving regulatory and legal issues governing the medical spa industry.

Bala’s love for healthcare not only impacted her career choice but also her personal life, as it led her to meet her husband, Raja, who is a plastic surgeon. With Raja being in the early years of his practice, Bala also has personal experience and knowledge of starting a medical practice and navigating potential pitfalls in the practice of medicine.

Outside of work, Bala enjoys running, trying new restaurants, traveling, and conversing in babbles with her baby girl, Mira.

EDUCATION

Anna University, India, Bachelor of Technology in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, 2008

Case Western Reserve University, Masters in Entrepreneurial Biotechnology, 2011

University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, J.D., Cum Laude, 2016

ADMISSIONS AND HONORS

Texas State Bar Admittance, 2016

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

University of Maryland Intellectual Property Clinic Student Attorney, 2015

Dean Scholarship Recipient

ASSOCIATIONS

Dallas Bar Association

Dallas Association of Young Lawyers

LECTURES

Speaker, Trademarks and Service Marks: How does it help with Branding?, ByrdAdatto University

Co-Speaker with Michael Byrd, Protect Your Brand: The Basics of Trademarks, Webinar for American Med Spa Association

Co- Speaker with Brad Adatto, Medical advertising 101 – What you Can, and Can’t, Say when Advertising your Med Spa, Webinar for American Med Spa Association