Her Story
About Poornima
Poornima Akella is a third-year law student at the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce Law School. She previously earned an LLB from a prestigious law school in India after completing her undergraduate studies in English Literature, Psychology, and Journalism. As a first-generation lawyer and immigrant, she has developed expertise in trademark law, traditional knowledge law, and intellectual property. She is emerging as a trademark attorney and is a member of the International Trademark Association, specifically its traditional knowledge division. Poornima attributes her career path to inspirations from her father, an English school teacher, and personal experiences, guided by advice from a Supreme Court judge to choose work that brings daily fulfillment. She values fairness, sustainability, balance, empathy, constructive criticism, and honesty, and seeks to provide pro bono services while balancing her roles as a mother and wife living separately from her family in Kansas due to her studies.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Poornima
01What do you attribute your success to?
I have been inspired by my father, by an English school teacher, or by different people, by the failure of my first love. Knowing the purpose of your life and having a vision was something which was permanent in all these years. The vision comes from the no's that we already know we will not do. Those visions are the things which we should hold on to. And with faith comes manifestation.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
A Supreme Court judge told me to choose a career where in the morning you are eager to go to office, and in the evening you are eager to come back home. Where you would want to finish the loop of your day for next 30 years. It suggests more that we need to reflect in ourselves and find what we really want to do before we jump onto it.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Challenges include burnout from high workload and lack of balance in the legal field, especially for South Asian women in IP. Opportunities include AI advancements and emerging indigenous communities providing new natural resources and solutions, though balancing ethically with greed remains difficult.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Fairness, sustainability, balance, empathy, constructive criticism, and honesty are core to me. I want to receive constructive criticism and be honest with people. Sustainable and balance are very important because it is humanly not possible to work like a robot.
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